Synthesizing Soil using By-products From Iron and Steel Industry

An iron and steel industry generates around 150 to 200 kg of steel slag per tonne of steel generated in basic oxygen furnace mostly using Linz-Donawitz (LD) process. In countries like India and China, re-utilization of steel slag/LD slag for construction works and production of cement is limited by virtue of its chemical characteristics such as presence of free lime, free magnesium and phosphorous. Open dumping or storing of the LD slag is not an environmentally sound or economically viable solution. The aim of this study is to find an environmentally sustainable and techno-economically feasible technology for re-utilization of LD slag. Synthesizing soil using LD slag is one such option which then could be used for several applications such as reclamation of mines, landfills, landscaping, vegetation on highway medians and public gardens.